Michael Jefry Stevens Bio

Michael Jefry Stevens

Over the past 20 years pianist/composer Michael Jefry Stevens has been associated with some of the most important figures in modern jazz. Beginning with his first CD release in 1991 as a member of Mark Whitecage's Liquid Time Group Mr. Stevens has been in the forefront of the NYC improvised music scene. Between 1988-1990 he co-led the now legendary "Mosaic Sextet" with Dave Douglas. This group included Mark Feldman on violin, Michael Rabinowitz on bassoon and the rhythm section of Harvey Sorgen on drums and Joe Fonda on bass. Their "Today This Moment" CD release on Konnex Records and re-release on GM Recordings is considered one of the classic modern jazz recordings of the last 20 years.

The rhythm section from this band went on to become the nucleus for Mr. Stevens working quartet "the Fonda/Stevens Group which originally began as a quintet with Mark Whitecage on sax and Herb Robertson on trumpet and has now evolved into a quartet featuring Mr. Robertson. Since its inception in 1993 this group has released 6 cds, toured Europe countless times and is one of the premier working modern jazz groups on the international scene. Mr. Stevens also began a very fruitful and fulfilling relationship with Leo Records with his duo "Haiku" CD release in 1994 featuring Mark Feldman on violin. These piano/violin improvisations proved to be a pivotal link between Mr. Stevens work in both the composed and improvised music worlds. His 2nd Leo Records release "Elements" featured group improvisations with bassist Dominic Duval, drummer Jay Rosen, Mark Whitecage and guitarist Dom Minasi, all of whom have now become world recognized improvisors.

In the last several years Mr. Stevens began several new projects including the Conference Call Quartet featuring his partner of many years bassist Joe Fonda in collaboration with German saxophonist Gebhard Ullmann and originally Matt Wilson on drums (Han Bennink and George Schuller have also performed with the group). This quartet released their debut CD in 2002 on Soul Note Records and have already toured the USA and Europe several times. Additionally, Michael Jefry Stevens performed his first solo piano European tour in March 2001 to celebrate his 50th birthday. A live CD from this tour is released on Jazz Halo Records in Belgium.

A proponent of the philosophy that there are only 2 kinds of music "good and bad", Mr. Stevens has also been working in a standard jazz piano trio setting for the past 12 years. His collaborative trio "Stevens, Siegel & Ferguson" has released 4 cd's on Imaginary Jazz and toured Europe and the United States continuously for the past 12 years. They have worked with such jazz luminaries as Steve Turre, Cecil Bridgewater and Valery Ponamerev and continue to expand and evolve the tradition of the jazz piano trio. Several years ago Mr. Stevens began a new project called "Songbook". This group features original vocal compositions by Michael Jefry Stevens in collaboration with the wonderful young NYC vocalist Miles Griffith.

Michael Jefry Stevens continues to explore new musical avenues and associations. During a recent European tour in France Mr. Stevens recorded a series of free improvisations with French Saxophonist Duanik Lazro in collaboration with the Fonda/Stevens Group. He is also scheduled to record with several prominent Swiss improvisors and will be touring Denmark in the company of some wonderful Danish improvisors. Mr. Stevens is truly a believer in the global music community and a vocal exponent of a truly international improvised music.

Michael Steven's Website